Indian guru in deep freezer not dead, just meditating, followers assert

Published: March 14, 2014

A hoarding featuring an image of Indian spiritual leader Ashutosh Maharaj stands outside the Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan in Nurmahal.

VANCOUVER DESI

The body of an Indian guru who died from a heart attack six weeks ago has been put in a deep freezer by his followers because they believe heâ€™s coming back to life.

Ashutosh Maharaj, leader of the Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan (Divine Light Awakening Mission), which claims more than 30 million followers, was pronounced dead Jan. 29, but his followers insist heâ€™s just in a deep state of meditation and even continues to send them messages, according to Britainâ€™s Daily Mail.

â€śMahara-ji (a Hindi term of respect) is still sending messages through followers in their meditative stage to protect his body until he returns,â€ť the missionâ€™s spokesoman Swami VishalanandÂ said, adding that followers are waiting for the guru to step out of the freezer, located in Punjab, northern India, any day now.

The Maharajâ€™s website has also thanked its followers in spiritual centres around the world for standing by the guru and his mission while heâ€™s â€śmeditating,â€ť the Daily Mail reported.

According to Vishalanand, many other historical spiritual leaders have travelled to the Himalayas for months of meditation in freezing temperatures and have returned to life.